City leaders, developer break ground on new hotel downtown

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BATON ROUGE- A new hotel means more than 50 new jobs and the potential for economic growth in Downtown Baton Rouge.

Construction is underway at the corner of Lafayette and Main Street for the new Hampton Inn and Suites.

The $17-million project is expected to be complete by the end of next year. The hotel will add 137 rooms downtown, bringing the total number of rooms to more than 800. City leaders expect the new hotel to make the area even more attractive for conventions and large events.

"It's going to bring more hotel rooms, we're going to feed off that to bring in more conventions, we'll feed off that to increase our economic value, so we have a win-win situation," Mayor Kip Holden said.

Financing for the project comes from a combination of private funds, tax-credits and loans from the city-parish. The state is leasing parking space for the hotel in a garage across the street.